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Lymph Vessel

A tubular passage for conveying lymph. Lymphatic vessels, unlike blood vessels, only carry fluid away from the tissues. The smallest lymphatic vessels are the lymph capillaries (lymph capillary), which begin in the tissue spaces as blind-ended sacs. Lymph capillaries are found in all regions of the body except the bone marrow, central nervous system, and tissues, such as the epidermis, that lack blood vessels. The wall of the lymph capillary is composed of endothelium in which the simple squamous cells overlap to form a simple one-way valve. This arrangement permits fluid to enter the capillary but prevents lymph from leaving the vessel.

Lymph travels through the lymph capillaries to small lymph vessels. Like veins, the walls of lymph vessels have smooth muscle that contracts and propels lymph away from the tissues. Lymph vessels contain valves that prevent lymph from flowing backward.

The lymph vessels converge into two main collecting ducts: the shorter right lymphatic or lymph duct and the longer thoracic duct. The right lymphatic duct drains lymph from the right side of the head, neck, thorax, and right upper extremity into the right subclavian vein. Lymph from the rest of the body flows into the thoracic duct that empties into the left subclavian vein. The thoracic duct begins in the abdomen as an expanded sac called the cisterna chyli. When lymph empties into the veins, it forms plasma (the liquid part of blood).